Alternate Ending To Mockingjay
by TeamGaleTomlinson
Summary: What if Katniss secretly started dating Gale? This is going to be the gateway to the rest of my stories probably. Galeniss. The next chapter thier story is coming soon. It'll be called Set Up A Snare


**DISCLAIMER: Suzanne Collins owns this awesome trilogy and everyone here that is Team Gale shredded her epilogue (unless you have respect for her genious)**

Although no one seeds it, the Meadow turns green again.

Gale and I grow back together after he comes back from 2. There are times when I have flashbacks and he hangs on to the back of the chair until they're over. I wake screaming form nightmares of mutts and lost children. But his arms are there to comfort me. And eventually his lips. On the night I feel that thing again, the hunger that overtook me before the Games, I know this would have happened anyway. That what I need is not Peeta's kind heart, embedded with peace and prosperity. I don't need constant reminders of Prim's ways. What I need is the fire in the woods. The vivid orange that means freedom instead of worldwide alliance. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again, as it was before the Reaping. And only Gale can give me that.

So after, when he whispers, "You love me. Real or not real?"

I laugh and tell him, "Real."

**EPIC EPILOUGE!**

I wake up and clasp Gale's hand. He stirs and I lay it back down. His eyes flutter open, but when he sees it's only me, they droop closed. He's snoring almost immediately. I go into the bathroom and tug on some clothes. It's a nice day, and I need some bread anyway, so I go over to Peeta's bakery. I've been avoiding that place, since Peeta doesn't know about me and Gale, and that'd be the only thing to make him mad. I still might have him fooled, but I just want to be safe.

I walk into the bakery and it's empty. No, not really. You can tell Peeta's been here for hours. There are many loaves of bread on the shelves and every few minutes there's a timer going off or clouds of flour coming from the kitchen. A bell goes off. _Dang it,_ I think. _Why does there HAVE to be a bell signifying my entrance? _

Peeta's head pops out from around the corner. "Haven't seen you in a while." He says, completely engulfing me in a hug.

"Yeah," I say "I've been VERY busy. Hunting, my new interest of gardening," I almost add Gale, but I catch my tongue "Other odd jobs."

Peeta looks at me intensely "Why the pause?" he asks "Something I can't know about? Since when do we keep secrets?"

I just smile. "No," I say "It's just some of those 'odd jobs' are a little, mutt- provoking."

He nods. "For safety." Peeta stands behind the counter "So what brings you here, Everdeen?" He laughs gingerly.

"Low on bread." I say. He tosses me a couple loaves and I slap down the money. I notice a jittery look on Peeta's face "What?" I ask

"Come here." He motions for me to follow him in the kitchen, which I do. Then he pulls out a stool and I sit. This is getting awkward. Peeta gets down on one knee. I hold back a grimace and opening my eyes any wider. "Katniss, I've always loved you." I stare down at him, hopefully keeping the annoyance out of my look "That night in the cave made me realize I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

I want to bury my face in my hands. "Sorry, Peeta, but I don't love you." I say, getting up from the stool.

His look told me a message words could not. Peeta was hurt beyond repair. He thinks I betrayed him. He's angry and I want to run, just in case he turns mutt. "It's Hawthorne, isn't it?" He says calmly, obviously fighting off an attack.

"No, Peeta, it's not like that!" I say angrily. How dare he insult Gale!

"Katniss, I loved you, but," What? He doesn't love me anymore because of that? Yes! I'm finally free of Peeta's shackles! "I always knew it was him. Stop. You have nothing to be sorry for." He's not angry. I walk out of the store and think about what just happened on the way home.

Gale's sitting on the couch when I get home. "Hey Catnip," he says, slinging his arm around me like he always used to.

"Not now, Gale." I say, setting the bread on the counter and plopping down across from him.

"Aw, come on. Spill."

"Peeta purposed."

Gale's muscles tense and his eyes dart uncomfortably to my hand. He leans back when he sees there's not ring there. "So you broke his heart?" Gale says, genuinely not noticing how bad I feel about it "So what? You have me."

"I know, Gale." I say. I get up from the couch I'm sitting on and sit next to Gale. "It's just, I'm worried. Peeta doesn't have anyone."

"And we can still be friends with Mellark, right?" He's trying to make me feel better, even though I know that's not what he wants.

"It's not actually that bad." I say, actually believing it "Peeta's great at making friends. I'm sure he'll find someone."

"Good." He says, but I can tell he's trying to get something else out of me.

"You want the whole story, don't you?" I ask, and Gale nods excitedly. So I tell him. Word for word. Beginning when I walked in the bakery, ending with walking out. He doesn't interrupt.

"Wait, so he said he _loved_ you?" Gale has a happy look in his eyes.

"Yeah," I say leaning back in exaggeration "I'm finally free of Peeta's undying love!"

THE END


End file.
